Vapor electric device.



E. THOMSON.

VAPOR ELECTRIC DEVICE.

Arrmoulon FILED 1130.7, 1906.

1 945 6% 1 B Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

MFA/E5555, [NI/ENTER ELZHU THUME'UN.

entrain srarns PATENT barren ELIHU' THOMSON, OF.SWAMPSCOTT, MAS sAonUsEr'rS, AsSIeNon TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

VAPOR ELECTRIC DEVICE.

1,0&5,641.L

Patented Nov. 26,1912.

Application filed December 7, 1906. I Serial No. 346,694.

To all whom mag concern:

Be it known that I, ELIHU THoMSoN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Swampscott, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vapor Electric Devices, of which the followingis a specification.

My present invention relates to an improved form of vapor electric device and to a method of 'completing and using the same.

According to my invention the envelop or tube of the vapor device is provided with an extension communicating with the main chamber of the tube through a constricted neck in such a way that when the vapor device is in operation any gas orforeign material'in the tube will be urged along by -'the cathode blast of the tube and will be segregated in the extension. After the device has been in operation for some time the extension may be sealed oil at the constrict- 7 ed neck thereby leaving the vacuum of the vapor device in an improved condition. Several extensions may be provided so that one may be sealed off and removed whenever the vacuum of the tube becomes impaired as by liberation of gas from the electrodes.

. One form of vapor device to which this invention may be applied is shown in the drawing forming a part of this specification. The vapor tube 1 may be of a form commonly usedfor the rectification of alternating current and may. include the usual graphite, anodes 2 and 3 and a mercury cathode 4. Theiectifier may be started by means of an auxiliary anode 5 connected through a resistancefi with the alternating current mains 7 and 8. A load-9 represented diagrammatically, may be supplied with current from the cathode of the recti- .-fier, and may return energy to the alternating current mains through the reactances 10 and 11 connected in a well known manner.

chamber :through a constric H but unobstructed orifice or tube 13. This auxiliary chamber" is pumped out when. the rectifier,

1 tube is exhausted so that when the rectifier is se'aled 05, as at the tip'l, the-tube may.

be considered as in an operative condition. If, however, a better vacuum is desired, or if for any reason the vacuum becomes impaired during' normal operation of the tube,

the gasor other foreign material will be driven upward by the vapor blast and will pass through the tube or. neck 13 into the auxiliary chamber 12. It is then possible to melt down the tube 13 with a glassblowers torch and seal off and remove the auxiliary chamber, thus in effect re-exhaustmg the rectifier without taking it outof circuit.

Although the extension is shown as connected to the top of the condenser chamber of the tube it may be connected at other cuits, and isalso applicable to similar devices operating on constant current and at very high voltages. In the latter case't-he condition'of the vacuum is particularly important, and my invention affords a reliable means for the. control thereof.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. The combination with an evacuated envelop having a condensing chamber, of means for maintaining a cathode blast therein, and a removable auxiliary chamber communicating with said condensingchamher by a small unobstructed passa e opposite said cathode blast through w ich gas may be urged to improve the vacuum, the

walls of said passage being so constricted as to readily enablesealing off'by heat at any time.

2. The method of improving the vacuum of an hermetically sealed envelop after.

sealing off from the pump and during normal operation, WlllCll consists in creatin a cathode blast therein to drive gas throng l a constricted orifice into a closed auxiliary chamber, and then sealing off the auxiliary chambeix 3.111, a vapor 'electric device,-the combination .with anevacuated envelopfhaving a moval. of said auxiliary chamber by sealing condensing chamber, a vaporiz able cathode, In Witness Wherof'I have hereunto set my a removable auxiliary chamber communicathand this fifth day of December, 1906.

in with said condensing chamber opposite sai d cathode through a small unobstructed ELIHU THOMSON orifice so constricted as to'permitready re- Witnesses:

ALEX. F. MACDONALD,

off with the aid of fusion. JoHN'A. MCMANUS, Jr.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eech, by addressing-the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

